10 Shocking Stats About Water and Meat-Eating
If you’re concerned about the amount of water you use, then it might be time to stop counting the seconds you spend in the shower and turn your attention to what you’re eating.
Here are 10 shocking stats that show the often-forgotten yet massive impact of eating meat on water usage:
- If you eat meat, you’re responsible, on average, for the consumption of 15,000 litres of water a day.
- It takes the equivalent of 50 bathtubs of water to produce just one steak.
- You save more water by not eating 450 grams of hamburger meat than you would by not showering for two months.
- The United Nations has labelled the livestock industry “a key player in increasing water use” and “probably the largest sectoral source of water pollution “.
- It takes about 1,790 litres of water to grow 1 kilogram of wheat. You’d need to use more than five times more water for 1 kilogram of beef.
- Animals raised for food produce more than 10 times as much waste as the entire human population does, much of which runs off into waterways.
- Ditching meat reduces your water footprint by almost 60 per cent.
- Raising animals for food wastes precious resources, partly because of all the extra water needed to grow crops for animal feed.
- According to research published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a meat-eater’s diet requires 14 times more water than a vegetarian’s.
- Humans worldwide drink almost 20 billion litres of water every day. Cows reared for meat and dairy “products” drink roughly eight and a half times that amount.
How You Can Make a Difference
Not only will going vegan reduce your water usage, it will also help protect the planet in other ways, improve your health, and prevent countless animals from being born to suffer on farms.
The meat, egg, and dairy industries are a nightmare for animals, who are treated like products rather than sentient individuals who have the ability to feel pain, fear, and joy, just as we do.
Learn more about the reality of animal agriculture:
To help you get started, our free vegan starter kit has tips and information on making the switch. Download a copy today!
